Bill book



Oct. '24, 19 44 H. o. MOCRACKENI BILL-BOOK Filed May 27, 1945 PatentedOct. 24, 1944 UNITED. STATES I PATENT, I OFFICE BILL BOOK Henry 0.McCracken, Wilbraham, MassQ Application May 27,1943, Serial No. 488,676

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in bill-books or bill folds andthe novel features of the invention are directed to the provision of abill book that is simple in construction to facilitate low costmanufacture, that is foldable to provide a thin fiat package while thebills contained therein are secured against displacement to avoid 105sthereof.

According to special features of the invention, means is provided toreleasably engage opposite ends of a bill to facilitate ready removal ofa bill or bills when the book is open but adapted to secure the billswhen the book is in folded up or closed relation.-

Other novel features and objects of the invention will b observed fromthe following description of the present preferred form of the inventionshown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a planview of the bill-book of the invention in open relation;and

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the bill fold in folded up orclosed relation.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, the novel features of theinvention will be fully described.

A body member or backing 2 is provided which may be of some flexiblematerial such as leather or the like so as to be readily foldabletransversely at the points indicated by 4, 6 and 8.

.A pocket member ID superposed on the left end of the body and which ispreferably wider at its lower side than at its upper side is secured tothe body at M and I6 as by stitching so as to provide a pocket having anopen top and side at is and 20.

A flap 22, which may take any form, is secured at its lower side to thebody as by stitching 24 which provides a hinge connection so the flapmay swing towards and away from the body.

A tab 26 is provided on the endmost portion 28 of the body which may becalled an outer flap.

A slot 30, which is preferably curved and having opposite endsterminating in apertures 32, is provided for receiving the tab when theparts are in folded or closed relation.

Bills may have their oneends inserted beneath member H] in the pocketformed thereby and extending along the body, their opposite endsdisposed beneath member 22.

With the device in open relation the ends of the bills are readilyinserted so as to assume the dot-dash position B. With the device inopen position and held in the one hand, it is an easy matter to graspand withdraw any one of the bills including an intermediate one. Theends of the bills being in the pocket beneath memher it which pocket isopen at its top and side permit withdrawal thereof while the member 22being hinged as it is it swings away from the body at its upper side soas to not interfere with the withdrawal of the bills.

In closing the device the endmost left hand portion of the device isswung over onto the portion between members l0 and 22 then theoverlapping portions are swung over onto the member 22. Finally theportion- 28 is folded onto the overlapping section and tab 26 insertedin the slot 30.

The slot 30 being curved as it is, the tab is readily inserted thereinand releasably held.

In Fig. 2 it will be seen how the parts are related when the device isin folded up relation. The bills are engaged between the sections of thedevice so as to be held against accidental displacement while when thedevice is open the bills are readily removable.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely asbeing illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of theinvention being iridicated by the appended claims rather than by theforegoing description, and all modifications and variations as fallwithin the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appendedclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. A bill-book structure of the class described comprising incombination, an elongated body member of flexible material formed tohave a single ply central section and inner and outer end sections atopposite transverse sides thereof with an outer flap at the outertransverse side of the outer end section, said central and end sectionsbeing of substantially equal size, a pocket forming member disposed onand extending entirely across the inner face of the endmost por tion ofthe inner end section, the lower longitudinal edges and the outertransverse edges of the member and inner end section secured togetherwhereby the member and section provide a pocket open along upperlongitudinal edges of the inner section and at its inner side forreceiving an end portion of a bill disposed on the sections of the bodymember and entirely confining the same, an inner hold-down flap disposedon and extending entirely across the inner faceof the outer end sectionand having its lower longitudinal edge secured to the corresponding edgeof the outer section whereby said flap is arranged to swing towards andaway from said section and adapted to overlie an opposite end portion ofa bill disposed on the sections of the body member, said pocket formingmember cooperating with the inner section and the inner flap membercooperating with the outer section to provide inner and outer double plyportions of the structure at opposite sides of the central single plysection between which plies opposite ends of bills may be disposed, saiddouble ply inner portion foldable inwardly onto the inner side of thesingle ply central section and the outer double ply section foldableinwardly onto the outer side of the said central section with the outerflap foldable onto the outer side of said central section, and saidcentral portion and outer flap provided with releasable securing meansfor holding the sections in said folded relation.

2. A bill-book structure of the class described comprising incombination, an elongated body member of flexible material formed tohave a single ply central section and inner and outer end sections atopposite transverse sides thereof with an outer flap at the outertransverse side of the outer end section, said central and end sectionsbeing of substantially equal size, a pocket forming member disposed onand extending entirely across the inner face of the endmost portion ofthe inner end section, the lower longitudinal edges and the outertransverse edges of the member and inner end section secured togetherwhereby the member and section provide a pocket open along upperlongitudinal edges of the inner section and at its inner side forreceiving an end portion of a bill disposed on the sections of the bodymember and entirely confining the same, an inner hold-down flap disposedon and extending entirely across the inner face of the outer end sectionand having its lower longitudinal edge secured to the corresponding edgeof the outer section whereby said flap is arranged to swing towards andaway from said section and adapted to overlie an opposite end portion ofa bill disposed on the sections of the body member, said pocket formingmember cooperating with the inner section and the inner flap membercooperating with the outer section to provide inner and outer double plyportions of the structure at opposite sides of the central single plysection between which plies opposite ends of bills may be disposed, saiddouble ply'inner portion foldable inwardly onto the inner side of thesingle ply central section and the outer double ply section foldableinwardly onto the outer side of the said central section with the outerflap foldable onto the outer side of said central section,-and saidcentral portion and outer flap provided with releasable securing meansfor holding the sections in said folded relation including a tab on theouter edge of the first-named flap receivable in a curving slotterminating in apertures at opposite ends thereof provided in thecentral section.

HENRY 0. MCCRACKEN.

